MICRONUCLEUS INDUCTION BY DIURON IN MOUSE BONE-MARROW

Diuron, a widely used substituted urea herbicide, induced the formatio n of micronuclei in bone marrow cells of Swiss mice. A single i.p. dos e of 340 mg/kg b.w. diuron which is maximum tolerated dose (MTD) incre ased significantly the number of micronuclei at 30 h and 48 h time per iod. The hose of 170 mg/kg b.w. also induced the micronuclei formation in the above time period. However, a dose of 85 mg/kg b.w. was ineffe ctive at the time periods studied. No induction of micronuclei was obs erved at 72 h time period after all the doses of diuron studied as com pared to the solvent control. The diuron-induced frequency of micronuc leated erythrocytes was independent of the sex of the test animals.